Spring Shirt Dress

My first completed project for the Spring palette challenge. This was actually supposed to be my Easter dress but I didn’t have time to start it before then, let alone finish. I fell in love with this vintage pattern the moment I saw it at the New Vintage Lady’s etsy shop and imagined it in a bold summer solid color to show off the details. Then I stumbled across this – sheet with butterflies and the vision changed entirely. Because both my main and contrast fabric are a little sheer I fully lined the bodice (in the yellow dot fabric) and sewed in loose lining to the skirt in the butterfly fabric. I added in-seam pockets and contrasting scallop hem on the underskirt (petticoat? not sure what the right term is), using Colette Pattern’s Meringue hem facing piece as a guide. I love the way it turned out!

The only down side is that the fabric does have a pretty high poly content so it does get quite hot for such a light and breezy design. This is something I am trying to pay more attention to in my fabric purchases going forward. For my first year of sewing I felt like everything was essentially going to be a wearable muslin so didn’t feel justified in investing a lot of money in fabric, but most pieces have turned out pretty well and I’ve found that a nice fabric really does make the difference between clothes I reach for all the time and the ones I wear once in a while.